Share this article

A 36-year-old Chechen man who allegedly was involved in plans for attacks on Nato facilities in Belgium, as well as collecting and contributing funding for a known terrorist organization, was arrested in Vienna on Monday, according to a report from the Austrian Press Association (APA).

Police spokesperson Nina Bussek said that the man was arrested based on suspicion of his membership of the terrorist group Caucasus Emirate, which was founded by Chechen rebel leader Dokka Umarov.

The group has fought to establish Islamist rule in the Caucasus region. Umarov was branded as public enemy number one in Russia until his violent death early in 2014 at the hands of Russian government forces.

The native Chechen living in Austria was also engaged in terrorism financing, as confirmed by Vienna's public prosecutor.